A haulage contractor has been fined after an incident in West Kensington left one of its drivers with severe injuries.

The man suffered a broken pelvis and multiple broken ribs when he was catapulted from a powered access platform as he was unloading it from an HGV last year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.

He was employed by Bedfordshire-based RC Robinson Haulage Ltd, which had been contracted by a platform hire company to transport the seven ton piece of plant.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on June 10 that the driver was delivering the plant to the Israeli Embassy, in Palace Green, when the incident occurred on April 7.

RC Robinson Haulage Ltd was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £782 and a victim surcharge of £120 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the HSE added.

The HSE said the driver got into the extendable cage attached to the plant, used its controls to move himself higher and drove it off the low loader. The plant slipped on wet metal ramps and landed on the grass verge narrowly missing a member of the public, while the driver was thrown onto the pavement.

Upon investigation, the HSE found that the correct loading and unloading procedure had not been followed, and that the driver should have used the low loader’s winch to lower the plant off the trailer.

The court heard, according to the HSE, that the driver had not received adequate training to load and unload powered access platforms from vehicles.

After the case, HSE Inspector Zameer Bhunnoo said: “This was a serious accident which could have resulted in the fatality of the driver or passing members of the public.

“Had adequate training been provided, the incident would not have happened. Haulage drivers usually work on their own and need to be able to rely upon their skills to carry out work safely.

“A key part to managing risks for firms is to make sure drivers are competent before they leave the gates of their depot.”